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Annotated Reference Guide to Collectible Books

Woolf, Virginia

There are few collectible literary figures as intriguing as Virginia Woolf, not only because her personal life was surrounded by mystery and foreboding, but also because of her unique publishing and social position. As a writer, Virginia Woolf was one of the most famous of the now-renowned Bloomsbury Group, who also featured the poet T.S.Eliot and James Joyce. Talented and lucky enough to be at the central turning point in literary history, her works have subsequently shaped the modern novel and are much sought after.

It is not only her social and literary career however that mark her first editions as being eminently collectible, but it is also her publishing history. She was first attached to London, Duckworth and Company publishing house, which, in consideration was quite small. Later however, she formed one of the most successful small independent publishers of her age: Hogarth Press, which went on to considerable success for its age and time. It was from these two relatively small publishers that later, larger reprints were sought and brought, meaning that these ‘early editions are quite rare.

Both of these interesting publishing facts have meant that Virginia Woolf’s works had fairly limited print runs, first with London and Duckworth, and later with Hogarth. Each print run was printed to match estimated profit, and as such their resulting volumes were less that 3000 per print run. As a result, a first edition Virigina Woolf from either her private Hogarth Press or from London Duckworth can be easily run into the thousands of dollars.

And if I was pressed to choose a certain publisher over another? London Duckworth or Hogarth?

I would always suggest Woolf’s own Hogarth Press, as even though it is not as limited as London Duckworth and Company, it brings with it the prestige of being that much closer to the author, her own publishing imprint under her own direction.